Checkout Lane: Choosing a lobster is a shell game

Julie Onufrak

Monday

Jun 22, 2009 at 12:01 AMJun 22, 2009 at 9:19 PM

Jay Kimball, owner of Wood’s Seafood in Plymouth, says he prefers hard-shell lobsters because they are meatier, but Joe Norton, owner of Mullaney’s Harborside Fish Market in Scituate, likes soft-shell lobsters because they are easier to crack and less expensive.

When people are searching for a special meal to mark summer holidays, they often turn to fish – especially lobster.

Jay Kimball, owner of Wood’s Seafood in Plymouth, Mass., said in early June, lobsters shed their shells and begin to grow new ones. That means that from the middle of July through the middle of October, consumers can choose from hard shells and soft shells, also known as new shells.

“The amount of meat you’ll get is substantially less” in a soft-shell lobster, said Kimball, who sells only hard shells whole in his fish market and restaurant. The soft shells are shucked, and the meat is used in lobster rolls or sold in the market.

Joe Norton, the owner of Mullaney’s Harborside Fish Market in Scituate, Mass., said he prefers the soft shells. They are easier to open, and customers don’t have to pay for the weight of a hard shell. He said they are $2 to $3 cheaper per pound.

Whether soft or hard shell, you’ll want your lobster to be fresh. Although a lobster is one of the few foods purchased while it’s still alive, it could have been hanging on in a tank for weeks.

“You want a lobster to be snappy and perky and flip its tail,” said Norton. “Consumers shouldn’t be afraid to pick up the lobster themselves and make sure it’s not weak.”

Kimball said a telltale sign is the lobster’s antenna, or lack thereof. If it’s been sitting in a tank for a long time, the other lobsters will have whittled down the antenna.

Though it’s too soon to tell what the season will bring, Wood’s is selling lobsters for about $2 less per pound than the same time last year.

“I had my first one (of the season) yesterday,” Norton said.

Patriot Ledger writer Julie Onufrak can be reached at jonufrak@ledger.com.

Way to cook your lobster

Boiled: Boiling lobster is a simple way to cook a lobster and good for those who don't want to cut up a live lobster with a knife.

Steamed: Steaming is a great way to cook but not overcook a lobster's delicate meat. To properly steam a lobster, you need a sturdy and close to airtight steamer. The best steamer setup is a steamer insert inside a stockpot with a fitted, heavy lid.

Grilled: To grill or bake a lobster, you must first cut it in half down the center. Make sure the rubber bands around the claws stay on during this process. You don't want to be dodging the claws while cutting up the lobster.

Source: cookinglobster.com

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